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A megaplot is a plot with extras. Actually, it's a plot constructed from
multiple components.
****************************
*** PLOT COMPONENTS ***
****************************
Plots are constructed from components. The root component will be a plot file;
from here, additional components can be recursively requested to build a tree
structure of narrative nodes. Each node should represent a state that the plot
can be in.
Each node is given its own LayerID. This ID is used for the node's message
and variable namespace.
The standard triggers of a subplot (START, UPDATE, etc) will only be called
when the subplot is active. This doesn't apply to the base plot, only the
subplots.
**********************
*** METASCENES ***
**********************
A MetaScene is a temporary scene used in a plot. It exists for as long as it is
needed, and is deleted when the plot ends.
You can define a faction for a MetaScene using SetFaction [ElementID]; to do this,
the faction you want must be an element of the controlling subplot. If you use
an ElementID which does not correspond to a faction unpredictable behavior may
result.
******************************
*** NARRATIVE THREADS ***
******************************
A narrative thread is a series of events constructed from plot components.
Only one node in a thread should be active at any given time.
Each narrative thread has its own PlotID.
NPCs are attached to the thread which first defines a persona for them; personal
rumors can only be keyed to LayerIDs belonging to this thread.
******************
*** QUESTS ***
******************
A Quest is a special case of a megaplot. Quests are created at the start of
an RPG campaign and permanently incorporated into the adventure. Quests may
not use regular metascenes, but may define Quest Scenes which get added as
new permanent scenes.
Quests should not perform a Character search, but should instead create any
NPCs they need using either PREFAB or NEWNPC. Combatants created by a quest
are scaled to the difficulty level of the quest.
If "." is requested as an element, it will be the city where this story takes place.
Artifacts requested by a quest will be of the same challenge rating as the
quest itself. This may be overridden by including a difficulty tag in the
element search.
*************************
*** QUEST SCENES ***
*************************
If a quest scene's HABITAT isn't defined, it will be inherited from the city.
If a dungeon is added as a quest scene, its ElementID will point to the goal
level rather than the entry level.
Quest dungeons may override the normal quest difficulty rating by defining
a nonzero DifficultyLevel in their definition.
An entrance for a quest scene may be added by attaching the designation
"ENTRANCE %n%", where N is the index of the scene.
********************************
*** REQUESTING SUBPLOTS ***
********************************
A subplot may be requested by adding a string describing the subplot.
SUBPLOT[n] <[*SubPlot Type] ([#threat]) Param1 Param2 ...>
Basically it's the same as adding subquests. Up to 8 subplots may
be defined, and they all must be numbered.
If this plot is based on a story, the story context will be used.
The element context for all parameters will be used.
If the second character of the SubPlot Type is a colon, this subplot
will be a side plot with its own PlotID. In this way it's possible for a
single plot to have multiple narrative threads running at once.
Threat is an optional value which, if added, will determine the threat
rating of the subplot being generated. Normally the threat rating is
automatically determined.
********************************
*** REPLACEMENT STRINGS ***
********************************
%plotid% The Plot ID
%id% The individual layer ID of this component.
%threat% The difficulcy rating of this plot, measured as Renown
%1%..%10% The element IDs
%name1%..%name10% The element names
%id1%..%id8% Layer IDs of subplots
%plotid1%..%plotid8% Plot IDs of subplots
%e1%..%e10% Element Index of subplot element
***************************
*** SUBPLOT CHANGES ***
***************************
Each subplot may have a CHANGES attribute defined. The megaplot structure may not
include two components which have any change tags in common. Change tags include:
XXRan Plot Descriptors: +P, +C, +H, +B, +G
Element Existence: [Element Code]:++, i.e. E:++, R:++
NPC Motivation/Attitude: [Element Code]:M or [Element Code]:A, i.e. E:A, R:M
The +T and +F plot descriptors are set by the component which ends the plot, so
these don't need to be included in the CHANGES list. Likewise, the Target NPC
is associated with the +T task, so T:++ doesn't need to be specified either.
Use CHANGES tags to prevent two parts of the same plot from changing the same
story element. For instance, you wouldn't want two parts of the same plot to
assign two completely different Enemy NPCs, or to change the Propp state in
one direction somewhere and in a completely unrelated direction somewhere else.
******************************
*** ELEMENT PLACEMENT ***
******************************
You can move elements automatically by defining a "PLACE[n]" string for them.
Place[n] <[~](Destination Index) ((Team Name)) (team data)>
The destination index is the element number where where the gear should be moved.
If a team name is indicated in parenthesis (), this will be used.
If the first character in the place attribute is a ~, the gear will be placed
in the scene of the requested element rather than the element itself.
If being moved to a metascene, if there's a map feature with the designation
"HOME [index]", where [index] is the Element Index of this element, it will be placed
there as mini map component 1. Note that the Index here refers to the master plot
index, not the subplot index; use %e1%..%e10% to set it.
Also if being moved to a metascene, at the conclusion of the plot the gear will
be moved back to its original home.
Note that elements moved in this way are moved when the plot is initialized,
not when the appropriate node is triggered. If you want to move a NPC at a specific
point during the plot you'll need to do this manually.
Design Flow
- Add extension
- Assign layer ID
- Select candidate
- Copy Elements, Match to adventure
- Add sub-extensions
- Repeat until everything initialized OK
- Delink candidate from adventure and return - leave stub in place to defend NPC selections
- Remove the stubs
- Assemble the plot
Assembly Flow
- Do all replacement strings %1%..%10% etc
- Merge element lists
- Merge personas
- Merge plot scripts
- Merge Metascenes
- Move gears as required
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